


Strength is Relative

by sansytheskeleton



Series: Grillster Trash Dump [3]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Feels, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Relationship Stuff, Suggestive, i felt bad for my last work so enjoy this fluff, kind of, possibly a little OOC, pretty gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-01
Updated: 2017-06-01
Packaged: 2018-11-07 14:48:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11061228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sansytheskeleton/pseuds/sansytheskeleton
Summary: Prompt (courtesy of TheNinjaMouse!):Gaster finds an old superhero comic in the dump and flips through it. He can’t help but notice these super heroes are all buff and muscular and compares it to his utter lack of anything resembling muscles. It’s never bothered him before but he starts to feel a little self conscious about his bones.





	Strength is Relative

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheNinjaMouse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNinjaMouse/gifts).



> so i dunno how much i like this but listen. listen. i wrote such a sad thing and i felt so bad i just needed some cute stuff ok.  
> thank u ninja (TheNinjaMouse) for the prompt!!!
> 
> in case you didn't read the tags, please be aware that this is slightly suggestive! (it was the best way to go about it for the prompt, in my opinion)  
> if that makes you uncomfortable, please either don't read or read with caution! thanks :D

Gaster sat down on a relatively clean pile of trash in the dump, holding onto some old comic book. Once he sat, he began to flip through it - because finding things like these were always a treasure!

He spent the next fifteen minutes reading the comic book about… super heroes.

At first, he enjoyed it, really; however, as he continued to flip through… he realized that _everyone_ in the book was… really strong. Everyone! Those who didn’t have muscles, were weak and fragile and injured.

Gaster frowned, looking down at his own arms. He was wearing long sleeves, but it was unmistakable… he was utterly… small. Weak.

Should he be feeling this way? No, of course not… it was irrational! He was a monster, but… didn’t Aaron have big, buff muscles like the people in the comic?

Even Grillby, a monster made out of fire, seemed to have some sort of muscles!

Was Gaster just weak?

Frail? Useless?

He scowled. This was stupid. He was bones! He…

he tossed the comic back where he found it and went home.

It was pointless.

That’s what he kept telling himself as he tried not to think about his own lack of _strength_.

 

_-Later-_

 

Grillby wrapped his arms around Gaster’s waist, pulling him closer and planting a kiss on the side of his skull. Gaster chuckled, playfully trying to push him off but Grillby didn’t budge in the slightest.

“You’re insufferable, you know,” Gaster complained jokingly, turning around in Grillby’s arms and glaring (well, he _tried_ to glare) up at his boyfriend.

Grillby shrugged, leaning down and kissing Gaster. He only spoke once he pulled away. “I am fine with that,” He said, pleased to see Gaster’s cheekbones a light purple.

“‘Course you’d be…” Gaster grumbled, looking away. Grillby chuckled, his flames crackling pleasantly.

Without warning, Grillby picked Gaster up as if he was weightless, bringing him into their shared bedroom. “Gah! Grillby, let me down!” Gaster squeaked, weakly shoving against Grillby, who in turn just chuckled.

Gaster rolled his eye lights, but suddenly he felt an unsettling feeling in his gut.

_Weak._

_Frail._

_Light._

Gaster grimaced, remembering that comic from earlier… he had managed to forget about it until now. Grillby had lifted him so effortlessly, and… yeah, his arms were definitely pretty buff despite being made of fire.

Grillby set Gaster down on the bed, climbing up above him and planting kisses all over Gaster’s face.

Gaster chuckled quietly, his mood lifting slightly from the affection Grillby was showing. “Jeez, Grillby, I didn’t know you wanted to _jump my bones_ that badly!” Gaster laughed, pushing Grillby slightly when he didn’t cease kissing him.

“Hmm… it is a possibility,” Grillby said matter-of-factly with a small shrug, quickly going back to kissing Gaster.

Gaster just sighed, shifting slightly from the after-effect of the gross feeling that had settled in his gut. However, he let Grillby continue to kiss him; it was helping him feel better, after all.

However, when Grillby trailed down Gaster’s jaw with kisses, going to the underside of his jaw and then to his neck, and when Grillby’s hands began to push up Gaster’s sweater… Gaster tensed.

“Gr-Grillby, uh-um,” Gaster stuttered, shifting again to get Grillby to stop.

Grillby pulled back, looking down at Gaster quizzically. “Is everything alright?” He asked concernedly. When he noticed the grimace on Gaster’s face, he immediately pulled his hands away from under his shirt, moving off of him to instead lie beside him on the bed. He kept his concerned gaze on Gaster’s face as said skeleton fidgeted nervously.

He nodded slowly, and then shook his head. “I… yeah, it, I just…” Gaster sighed in frustration, curling in on himself slightly as he covered his face with his hands. He groaned. “I dunno. I just. You…” He couldn’t get his thoughts out.

Grillby gently placed his hand on Gaster’s arm, hoping to coax him into relaxing. “It is okay, love. Take your time. I’m listening,” He said softly, and Gaster could’ve laughed; he didn’t.

Instead, he just scowled. Shifting once more, he brought himself into more of a sitting position, pulling his hands away from his face and instead looking down at them in his lap as he fiddled with them. Grillby sat up more beside him as well, watching him with concern.

Gaster sighed. “You- I was-“ He sighed irritably, clenching his hands into fists. He took a deep, slow breath. “You know how I was in the dump earlier, correct?” He asked, still not looking at Grillby.

Grillby had nodded beside him, but upon noticing Gaster couldn’t see him, began to speak. “Yes, I am aware. Did something happen?” He asked, genuinely curious and concerned.

Gaster smiled bitterly. “Not necessarily,” He said, unclenching his hands and instead pulling at his fingers as he continued to fidget. “I… I found this old, beat up comic. About super heroes,” He began to explain, and Grillby nodded beside him. “They’re all… they’re all… strong. Muscly. They can lift things so easily, and… and everyone who wasn’t strong, who… who didn’t have muscles… were like, injured, or something, and… just… _you_ seem to have muscles! Aaron has muscles, and… I know it is irrational, but… I do not! I am… I am frail, weak, I just…” He finally looked up at Grillby, a strange, hurt look in his eye sockets. “I’m gross. I’m fragile. You can lift me effortlessly! I… why do you… I just…” He sighed again, averting his gaze back to his hands. “I’m just bones. Cold, lifeless bones. Why would you want to hold me? Why would you want anything to do with such a fragile monster like myself?” He asked pitifully, refusing to make eye contact with Grillby again.

Grillby was quiet for a moment, and when Gaster began to get anxious and was about to dismiss the entire thing, Grillby spoke. “You do not need physicality to show your strength. Yes, when somebody sees someone with muscles… they will immediately think ‘strong’. However, Gaster, dear… you do not need muscles to be strong. Have you _seen_ your magic? Your ability to hold a drink? How well you are at handling serious situations? Gaster, dear,” Grillby said, shifting closer to Gaster but not touching him. “Strength comes in many different forms. You are easily one of the strongest monsters I know… you do not need muscles to be strong. I want to hold you because I love you… I love you for so many reasons, my dear, and your strength is apart of the very long list,” He said. He wanted to reach out to Gaster, but he still was avoiding his gaze; he didn’t want to force Gaster into a hug.

“But…” Gaster’s voice was pitifully small and he scowled, pulling and twisting his fingers again. “But I can’t lift you. I can’t… I can’t push someone out of the way, I can’t… you don’t need your magic to lift things. If I want to lift anything, I’d have to use my blue! I just… I want… I want to be _strong_ ,” Gaster said, his voice getting quieter as he spoke, his last word coming out practically as a whisper.

“Gaster…” Grillby started, but he was unsure of how to continue. It was true; Gaster was physically weak. If Gaster wouldn’t be reassured by what he said before, what could Grillby say or do to help? “I… understand, and I am sorry you feel this way… however, I can guarantee you… it is perfectly okay to not have muscles, to not be physically strong. Like I said, that isn’t needed to be strong… also, Wingdings, my dear… there are so many other monsters out there without muscles. I am afraid I do not have anything that can truly help you, but, my dear… I love you very much. Whether you have muscles or not isn’t going to change that,” Grillby tried to reassure.

Gaster sighed in defeat, hanging his head and rubbing his face tiredly. “…I love you too. I suppose you are right, I know I’m being irrational, but… I just… can’t really help it, you know?” Gaster said, and Grillby nodded; Gaster couldn’t see it, but he could feel the movement. Gaster sighed again, dropping his hands. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ruin the mood,” He scowled at himself; he was being completely irrational! His irrationality ruined the happy mood they had. Stars, what was wrong with him?

Grillby shook his head, gently reaching out and putting his hand on Gaster’s arm. When Gaster leaned into his touch, Grillby took this as his cue to pull Gaster towards him and back into a hug. He kissed the side of his skull. “You did no such thing. It is okay, my love. I am glad you opened up to me about your feelings,” Grillby praised gently, squeezing Gaster gently. Gaster sighed, turning and moving closer to Grillby, burying his face in Grillby’s shirt. Grillby brought his hand up to Gaster’s skull, gently rubbing it before placing a kiss on the top of his skull. “I love you, my dear. Would you like to go to sleep?” He inquired softly.

Gaster shrugged, and then shook his head. With another sigh, he pulled back from Grillby’s embrace just enough to look at his face. “I love you too… do you maybe want to… continue where we left off…?” He asked, a light purple flushing his cheekbones.

Grillby gave him a skeptical look. “Are you sure that you are up for it, Gaster? You do not need to feel obligated… we may just rest, if that is what you prefer,” Grillby told him.

Gaster slowly shook his head. “No, no… I want to. I do. You make me feel better, after all… or should I say, you make me feel warm and fuzzy,” Gaster said, a small smile making its way onto his face.

Grillby crackled a chuckle, shaking his head as his flames popped and sparked. “Well, I am certainly not opposed about continuing where we left off. You will tell me if you are uncomfortable, correct?” Grillby asked, just wanting to make sure… he would never want to push Gaster into doing something he’s not comfortable with.

Gaster rolled his eye lights, but nodded. “Yes, yes, I will. Now get _over here_ , hot stuff,” He said with a grin, his mood rising quickly as he tugged Grillby by his shirt into a kiss.

Despite the insecurity, Gaster thought that with Grillby’s help, he could get over it… it was irrational, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> yaaay! i hope you enjoyed this piece of trash.  
> again, i felt bad for writing 'A Thousand Years'.  
> so i needed to write something to make up for it.  
> again thank you ninja for the prompt!! :D
> 
> sorry if this was too cheesy


End file.
